‘If there’s a unity gov’t, Likud will go peacefully,’ promises Regev

Regev compared Bennett to famous Wall Street scammer Bernie Madoff, saying that he’d “deceived and lied to his voters.”

By Lauren Marcus, World Israel News

Transportation Minister Miri Regev (Likud) promised that if Naftali Bennett (Yemina) and Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) manage to swear in a unity government, her party will “hand over power in an orderly manner.”

The staunch Netanyahu loyalist, who is widely known for her unfiltered remarks during press appearances, said during a Monday evening interview with Channel 12 News that the Likud had not given up on creating a right-wing coalition.

“First of all, we are not letting go yet,” Regev said. “I still hope that we will succeed in forming a right-wing government.”

Regev compared Bennett to famous Wall Street scammer Bernie Madoff, saying that he’d “deceived and lied to his voters.”

She brought up Bennett’s reversal of a campaign promise to avoid forming a government with the Yesh Atid party as evidence of his unseemliness.

“[He] told his constituents ‘I will not sit with Lapid.’ Bennett should come [before everyone] and admit ‘I lied to my constituents, I am the idiot of Israeli politics. I deceived, I lied, I stole your votes.”

When asked about intensive threats leveled against Yemina number two Ayelet Shaked, and accusations from right-wingers that Ayelet Shaked is a traitor, Regev demurred.

“I am against calling her a traitor,” she said. “I say that what Ayelet is doing unfortunately, and Bennett and all [the] Yemina MKs, are committing a big scam – they are going against their values, against public promises.”

If the Bennett-Lapid government manages to get off the ground, Regev’s position as transportation minister would be filled by Labor chair Merav Michaeli.

When asked if she’d hesitate to hand over the reins to Michaeli, Regev scoffed at the insinuation that she’d cling to power illegitimately.

“We are committed to transferring each of our positions. I will certainly transfer my ministry in an orderly manner, and everyone [in Likud] will do it,” she said.

“We are committed to the State of Israel and our mission.”

2021 Israel electionsLikudMiri Regevunity government